The Department of State Services (DSS) has released a former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Abdulrasheed Bawa after over 100 days in custody.
This is according to a late Wednesday statement by the secret police.
DSS confirms release of former EFCC chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, a few hours ago (today 25th October, 2023).
Peter Afunanya, Ph.D, fsi
Director, Public Relations and Strategic Communications
Department of State Services
National Headquarters
Abuja.
25th October, 2023
— Department of State Services (DSS) (@OfficialDSSNG) October 25, 2023
“DSS confirms release of former EFCC chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, a few hours ago (today 25th October 2023),” the DSS spokesman Peter Afunanya said.
A video of the former EFCC chief being welcomed by his wives and children has also gone viral on social media in the aftermath of his release.
His freedom came months after President Bola Tinubu suspended him as the chairman of the anti-graft agency.
Bawa’s suspension was due to hefty allegations of abuse of office levelled against him, according to the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).
The Director of Information at the SGF office Willie Bassey said the move was to allow for a thorough probe into the allegations.
In the wake of his suspension and his June 14 arrest by the DSS, a former Governor of Zamfara State Bello Matawalle also accused Bawa of seeking a $2 million bribe from him.
But the ex-EFCC chief denied the Minister of State for Defence’s allegations.
While Tinubu directed the Commission’s Director of Operations Abdulkarim Chukkol to step in as the acting chair of the EFCC, the Nigerian leader on October 12 named Ola Olukoyede as the agency’s chief.
Olukoyede’s appointment is for a renewable term of four years in the first instance, according to presidential spokesman Ajuri Ngelale.
Ajuri said the appointment followed Bawa’s resignation with Olukoyede’s confirmation coming in about a week later.
